Low-carb high-fat changed my life!
Before and after
I got an e-mail from Jane Britton in Australia, who struggled to lose weight with low-calorie diets for many years.
Here’s what she discovered when she decided to study to become a dietitian, and soon realized what the biochemistry text book had to say about what causes storage of fat:
The E-Mail
Hi,
I would like to share my story:
I was a very skinny teenager who married early and had three babies over 15 years and each time I got slightly fatter. I stand 173 cm/5’8″ tall and at my heaviest I weighed maybe around 80 kg/176 lbs. My mother was a Weight Watchers lecturer (even though she was always overweight) who starved herself and resorted to very low-calorie diets, such as Jenny Craig. When my weight became an issue I resorted to those same diets trying to be “skinny” like I was in high school. I even walked an hour a day very fast and joined the gym. Nothing got me lower than about 75 kg /165 lbs and I always put the weight back on very fast as soon as I gave up, which was often.
By the time I was 25 I was on antidepressants for a back problem that caused me to have restless leg syndrome, I had chronic sinus, and basically felt absolutely miserable. I had my gall bladder removed and was shocked at the size of the stones because I ate low-fat everything. I thought high-fat diets caused gall stones! I was always constipated and worried I would get bowel cancer like my mother.
I was 37 when my marriage ended and I decided to go to University to get an education. I was studying to be a dietitian because I knew that Australia was getting fatter by the year and so I would be guaranteed a job. I also thought that this knowledge would solve my diet problems forever… surely ALL dietitians are “skinny”?
My first year science courses included biochemistry which is basically the study of the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Well, it only took a few glances at my text book for me to realise what caused the storage of fat. (Carbs!). I immediately stopped eating carbs except those that are found in vegetables. I even cut back on fruit, which I never really liked much anyway, and only ever ate because it was “low in fat”. I kept my carbs at around the 50 g a day. I did no exercise because of my back pain. I googled “how many carbs in……” and if I thought it would tip me over the 50 g a day I avoided it.
I lost 34 kg in under 5 months. The weight loss was great but the other aspects were amazing too:
– Hair and nails grew noticeably. I have lovely long natural nails and my hairdresser wanted to know what I had changed because my hair had a visible line of difference in it.
– My back stopped aching and I stopped taking the neurological drugs for the nerve pain. NO more expensive chiropractor visits!
– My restless leg all but stopped. This is one of the first things that comes back if I “cheat”.
– I don’t know if this is correlated but my glasses prescription went backwards for the first time in a decade.
– I no longer get UTI.
– I am off antidepressants.
– I now actually like being physically active. I own Vibrams and enjoy sprinting.
– My chronic constipation is GONE.
– My sinus infection has not come back, but again if I cheat I can feel “something”.
– When I fast I notice that my cognition improves (I now fast during exams).The only thing I’ve changed since initially going low carb is I have increased my fat intake. I found the only way to lose the last few kilos was to up my fat.
If you are struggling with health and/or weight issues I highly recommend LCHF – it’s been three years for me now and I will never go back to eating grains and sugar again.
Regards,
Jane Britton
Comment
Congratulations on your great health and weight successes, Jane!
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More weight and health stories
PS
Do you have a success story you want to share on this blog? Send it (photos appreciated) to andreas@dietdoctor.com, and please let me know if it’s OK to publish your photo and name or if you’d rather remain anonymous.
So why are most of the rest so entrenched in the low fat paradigm and probably worse than useless?
The best of luck and health to you and yours.
Eddie
As a suggestion, please keep a file with up-to-date medical articles to back anything you suggest to your patients. This will keep you out of trouble of complaints from colleagues jaleous of your success.
Kudos to you! By the way, your surgeon is really good ("great" (ie very small) cholecystectomy scar), though I'm a bit surprised he chose a coventional approach rather than a laparoscopic one.
Presumably textbooks in Europe and North America contain the same information.
Much of which may not be "new" anyway. After all 19th century scientists, such as Claude Bernard, appear to have come to similar conclusions about diet.
Anyway, good on ya, Jane!
Oh, and François, I posted my article that came out of your comment here the other day: http://benboomed.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/first-do-no-harm/ and I gave Dr. Eenfeldt (ie, this blog) a shout-out in it too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96YS9d-_kh8
Kind regards Eddie
You probably gave up wheat.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/07/04/can-eat...
"I will never go back to eating grains and sugar again". Food can give you 5 minutes of pleasure, but watching your new body gives you 24/7 happiness. Who wants grains again?
Yesterday I got new glasses: half dioptria less in one eye (the same in the other). I suppose it has nothing to do with lchf, but...
Kind regards Eddie
You sure looking good and more vibrant on your last picture.
Thank you for being such an inspiration and share your encouraging story with us.
I will surely have my pictures up within the next 3 months I promise; this has been such inspirational for me.
Take care,
Joy
Congrats..
So much for experts. I wonder if people watching this disinformation will realize this "expert" who says about anything has a personal adipose problem. Seems that what she is suggesting does not seem to work.
Video mentions low calorie is the problem but some fat will fix that problem.
For me muscle mass increased and body fat deceased.
RD is taking about Low Carb Low Fat I agree that is unhealthy.
I wouldn't take nutrition advice from her.
It never ceases to amaze me, how ignorant so many healthcare professionals are in the control of obesity and its often linked type two diabetes and metabolic syndromes. To be fair to Doctors, their basic diabetes training can be measured in hours. Dietitians should know better, but appear so often, to know less than the average clued up diabetic.
For weight loss the carbs have got to go, 50 carbs a day should be tolerable for most. Do not up the protein, which can metabolise in up to 50% glucose. High quality natural fats should replace the lost calories. Too much protein for a type two diabetic will often raise BG numbers to dangerous levels. In a non diabetic, BG spikes and the accompanying insulin spikes are not going to help with weight loss.
Insulin is often referred to by biochemists as the fat building hormone. In fact, the body cannot make body fat without insulin. It is very unusual to find an overweight individual who doesn’t also have elevated insulin levels. Type 2 diabetics, at diagnosis, will often be overproducing insulin.
Insulin also inhibits the body’s use of stored fat as a source of fuel. Lowering insulin levels is extremely important, perhaps essential, for weight loss to succeed. This is one reason why low carb diets are particularly successful in weight loss since the fewer the carbs, the less insulin is required. Some may also find that they consume fewer calories without feeling hungry because their fat metabolism begins to work properly once more, allowing the body access to energy reserves in fat stores which were previously inaccessible.
All this information has been out there for years, but so many vested interests lead by big pharma and junk food spend $billions on lying propaganda. But, the tide is turning, people are getting clued up fast.
Kind regards Eddie
You said: "It is very unusual to find an overweight individual who doesn’t also have elevated insulin levels. Type 2 diabetics, at diagnosis, will often be overproducing insulin."
For the first sentence, I could not agree more. As for the second sentence, it is actually the description of what type 2 diabetes really is: insulin resistance caused by excess insulin production, itself caused by too many carbs. (or in the case of extremely heavy protein consumers, also caused by a massive excess of protein, but this is much less of a problem). This insulin resistance is a normal mechanism of the body, similar to alcohol tolerance (you resist the effect) with regular intake.
I have treated full blown type 2 diabetes patients who had a normal fasting blood sugar, but extremely elevated insulin levels and extremely elevated HbA1C. The fasting blood glucose remains within normal limits because the body compensates by producing more insulin.
And this is the danger: there are insulin receptors in atherosclerotic plaques. When insulin attaches to a plaque, it promotes inflammation and growth of this plaque, which explains why diabetics (and pre diabetics) have bad atherosclerosis that is generalized: their high insulin levels increase their plaques. As for pre diabetics, they usually have no clue, as they have no symptom. As for diabetics, the conventional treatment is to give medication that increases insulin production and continue eating carbs, which stimulate more insulin and make atherosclerosis worse.
Some in the medical world are beginning to see the light (see a few of the posts by Andreas) but the vast majority of physicians, dietitians and professional associations push an approach that stimulates atherosclerosis.
If anyone reading this blog is a diabetic or knows a diabetic, please read the posts on diabetes. Please also watch the youtube videos by Dr Jason Fung.
Asians are much more sensitive to the damaging effects of the SAD diet. By this above definition, about half the Chinese population would be pre-diabetic. If they do not switch to LCHF soon, I foresee cardiologists and cardiac surgeons will be very wealthy in China.
A suggestion maybe: if any reader of this blog knows Mandarin, it may be a great idea to translate the "how to" pages, like Andreas has already done in many languages.
Dr.Richard Bernstein, Jay Wortman, and Jason Fung are my main diabetes gurus, I meet medical professionals who have never heard of them. I have a joke with diabetics, I say if you mention Bernstein to your medic and he says Bernstein, isn’t he the guy that wrote West Side Story find a new medic.
As you said many type diabetics are awash with insulin around the time of diagnosis. And the lunacy is giving them more insulin. It is now known insulin using type two’s have up to three times the heart attack and other major risks, compared to a non insulin using type two. I have had self styled experts and low carb antis call me a carb cripple on blogs and I should up the carbs and not be afraid on insulin. You can’t blame them I suppose, as so many professionals believe the same thing. So many equate type two with type one, very few seem to realise that many type two’s, do not have a problem with insulin production.
Your equating insulin resistance with alcohol is another point I use. We all know a guy who can drink all day and late into the night and never get drunk, and the non drinker who would be under the table on three drinks. The worse case scenario seems to me is the type one, that becomes insulin resistant, known as double diabetes. That must be a tough case to solve, but not impossible.
I am your typical bog standard type two diabetic. I was suffering all the usual symptoms. My father was a type two and one day I was thinking to myself, I remember the old man talking about constant thirst and urination some years before. I went out purchased a BG meter and 26 mmol was the result. A week later after hospital tests HbA1c 12. I was advised to cut sugar and eat a low GI diet. Result average BG 12 - 14 by this stage I knew that was going to get me nowhere fast, other than a early grave.
I heard about low carbing, I went out and bought Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution and Taubes Diet delusion, Good Calories Bad Calories in the US. A type one on a forum told taught me the safe way to low carb. Within five days of 30 carbs per day my average BG was 5.5 yes you read that right ! At after three months of low carbing, blood tests revealed HbA1c 5.4 Trigs <1 HDL up LDL down, and a 50lb weight loss. My Doctor was stunned and asked me “are you being treated elsewhere” I told him it was all down to low carbing and I heard the words said so often “I see, well if it works for you, stick with it” end of conversation. I was extremely upset with my Docs attitude re.low carb, at this stage I realised it could work for almost every type two diabetic.
Fast forward over six years, a website, three blogs, ten thousand plus posts on forums under various names, I get banned a lot from forums. So many do not want to know (maybe it’s just my style LOL). The have put their trust in the NHS, ADA and the lamentable DUK, so many have been told your HbA1c of double a non diabetic is fine, and they believe it. In the UK 93% of type one’s never get to a safe HbA1c as published in the NHS audited stats. Maybe I should have walked away from all this years ago, but I can’t. Two weeks after diagnosis I buried my father, riddled with diabetic complications. My little bit of knowledge had come too late to help him.
PS
One last point. I appreciate most on the blog will know this, but a word of warning. I got lucky, reducing BG numbers from very high to non diabetic, in a very short space of time, can lead to permanent eye damage. Take your time, bring your carbs down slowly over around three months. It's not a race.
Kind regards Eddie
You are right, altho' in regards the dietary approach to diabetes I like the phrase, "this is a race, won by tortoises" :-)
It is not so much a quick fix to help someone lose that last, stubborn 10 lbs... we are in this for the long haul. And I certainly plan to be around and healthy enough, to chase my grandkids around the garden :-P
Congratulations on your new knowledge and success too!
The first time I gave up wheat and carbs, I had no clue really. I remember clearly noticing a strong shift in my moods.
I have been low carbing for almost 2 years. it also cleared the occasional acne I experienced. I haven't had it since I cut out carbs and sugar.
I began eating LCHF while living in France 14 years ago and quickly dropped 13kgs and cured my insulin resistance and PCOS - doing everything opposite of what I had learned at WW and on Jenny Craig. Crazy but true, just wish I hadn't been led up the garden path for so long!
I'm having a hard time to figure that out.
Thanks!
Well when I first went "low carb" I basically ate the same thing each day (not something I would do long term)... so my daily food went something like this.
Upon waking - a coffee with coconut oil (I started with half a tsp and worked my way up to a heaped tsp) made with cream instead of milk.
Breakfast - two rashers of bacon (the fattiest I could buy) with two eggs, cooked in butter. Often I added some greens (English spinach was my favourite or some zucchini or onion and mushrooms), a second coffee again with the coconut oil
Lunch - some protein (usually a tin of tuna in olive oil or some fatty organic, free range chicken) with salad. The salad was as high fat as I could dream up... meaning cheese, boiled egg, creamy home made dressing (or store bought if I was a bit lazy that day) diced bacon fried until crispy (I would make that in the morning when I was doing bfast). I'd add avocado often... any salad veggies you like... it was HUGE and I wasn't particularly skimpy on the fatty ingredients either. I would often have a third coffee with coconut oil.
Dinner - protein (usually steak or chops with lots of fat which I ate) and veggies. I ate mostly green vegetables, such as broccoli or brussel sprouts, cabbage all cooked in butter and cream. Zucchini became a big fave of mine. I had the occasional bit of pumpkin, carrot and beans but mostly just ate cruciferous veg.
Snacks - I ate 20g of macadamia nuts a few times a week. Usually if I was out and couldnt get my proper lunch, Id eat these instead. Or sometimes Id take a tin of tuna in my bag and sneak around a corner and wolf that down (social situations where everyone is eating cake... Id pass and sneak the tuna in!!)
Alcohol - Im not a drinker but if I was in a social situation where I felt I had to partake I drank bourbon and diet coke. This was extremely rare. I didn't touch wine the entire time I was losing weight.
Fruit - I often ate half a green apple in the morning whilst preparing my daughters school lunch. Not everyday, but fairly frequently. I may have had a few raspberries with cream here and there but it was probably only three times in six months.
Chocolate - I ate a square of 85% dark choc a few times a week.
Salt - I suffered at first from postural hypotension - and so did some research and found that I might possibly be requiring more salt in my diet. I was stoked because Ive always LOVED salt and adding that back in was amazing. I now salt everything.... I felt immediately better, the fainting feeling and black dots went away within moments and Ive been salting it up ever since!
I hope this helps! Feel free to contact me via facebook, I have a secret group of about 200 people I talk food with, mostly just pass on other low carb diet guru posts that I think are relevant and help people with their low carb journeys. The group is secret tho, which means you need to add me as a friend, I can then invite you the group.. and then I generally de friend you (otherwise you have to put up with all my personal drama which isn't required to lose weight hahahahah)
Jane :-)
I've been trying to follow a LCHF diet for a while now but realise I've been doing something really wrong - snacking on Atkins low carb products.
You've inspired me to try and do this right!
Im from the Sunshine Coast Australia
My profile pic is of a blonde woman up close with glasses
my background pic is of a beach?
Does that help? LOL
this is a link to my page but it probably wont help
otherwise email me at fastjane@gmail.com
you can email me your facebook name and I will add you?
https://www.facebook.com/fastjane
I think Jane probably meant to say she lost 34lbs (or 15kgs)? Which would make her about 9 stone 6 lbs (60kgs).
She certainly needs to read Gary Taubes, or Dr Davis, or anyone who actually has a clue about fighting fat with fat!
Have you seen her Fb page - she is not a walking advertisement for weightloss.....
I say "Go the Aussie!" Jane, you are an inspiration.
My before pic probably not my heaviest.
My after pic not my lightest. I lost about another 4-5kg.
Not sure why some people like to be negative.
:-)
I'm on a quest to lose 26kg/50lbs by Christmas, and I'm really wanting to do something similar to what you did, Jane. I've just started doing the "Curves" program, which I'm enjoying. If I can add a similar diet that works for me(no carbs/low sugar) then I'm pretty sure I'll reach my goal.
Almoste any other diet is better!
However.. moste of us is eating a mixed diet, both animal and vegetarian.
You can look at it here and find 3 amazing videos that are very educational to convince even the most skeptical critic about the dangers of carbohydrates. They are free as long as you sign in with your email. http://lchf.dayssun.com
Loved this story and I can relate to it alot. Wish me luck!!! 8kg away from my wedding day goal weight
You will do it! :)
Peter - Team DietDoctor
Another unexpected difference, especially if you're eating the right fats (saturated, monounsaturated, very little PUFA as close to a 1:1 O3:O6 ratio as you can get), is you may be able to be out in the sun for longer before sunburning, even if you're pale. I used to know a woman who went Paleo, and one of her sons ate Paleo as well while the other one ate vegetarian like his dad. The vegetarian kid burned easily. Mom and Paleo kid didn't--and Mom's blond and light-color-eyed, very Northern looking. Both kids have the same coloration like their Latino father. It's really weird.
I experienced the sun-exposure angle myself. If I did redden a little, I'd turn brown by the next day, especially with judicious application of coconut oil.
People with personal or familial histories of skin cancer, take note.
I am wondering though if their is a typo in your story.
If I am reading it correctly, your heaviest weight was 80kg and you lost 34kg in 5 months.
That would make your current weight 46kg. You look amazing but you don't look like you weigh 46kg especially at 5 foot 8 inches tall.
If I am reading incorrectly please forgive me for bring this up.
Congratulations once again :-)
But, you were never really obese. You're 5' 8". Lucky!
Additionally, some people should not wear a two-piece bathing suit. Especially after they hit a certain age (I'm one of them so I can say this). I may feel great because I have lost weight, but that doesn't mean that my body is all that pleasing to look at, LOL. I don't subject other people to the visual agony.